Page 50 - History of War - Issue 05-14

FOR VALOUR

Unsung heroes weather was beginning to deteriorate. Krancke At a distance of around ten miles, Admiral
ordered the attack. Scheer turned side-on and brought her guns to
Earlier in the day, SS Mopan had sailed bear. If there had been any doubts as to her
past HX 84. The 7,900-ton freighter was purpose, the characteristic silhouette of the
owned by Fyffes and loaded with a quarter German pocket battleship dispelled them. Her
of a million bananas bound for England. Her big guns were trained on Jervis Bay, while her
skipper, Captain Sapsworth, had declined to smaller guns were pointed at a tanker nearby.
join the convoy, preferring to sail on ahead – Fegen now knew what he was faced with, and
straight into the path of the oncoming German also realised what few options the situation
warship. If Krancke had tried to steam around presented him with. He was outgunned and
Mopan or attack her, it would have sent a radio outranged, and, even though he had the greatest
signal, causing HX 84 to scatter. Instead, he devotion to his men, his duty was to protect
approached at flank speed and ordered the crew the convoy at all costs. He decided to place his
to stop the ship and not use the radio. Despite own ship between the enemy and the convoy,
pleas from his radio officer, James Macintosh, in the hope of slowing her down enough for
to send the single letter R for “raider”, the other ships to escape into the approaching
SS BEAVERFORD Sapsworth did as he was told – presumably night. At 4.42pm, Admiral Scheer launched
her initial salvo of six 11-inch armour-piercing
fearing for his own life and that of the crew.
shells, flying at 2,000 feet per second, which
Krancke ordered the 76 crewmen to abandon
– THE FORGOTTEN ship so that they could be taken prisoner – whistled over the heads of Jervis Bay’s crew and
landed just 100 yards away.
which they duly did, in a calm, orderly and
Jervis Bay turned to port and headed towards
HEROES decidedly leisurely fashion. The process took the German warship, so Krancke ordered all of
an hour, which infuriated the German Captain.
her guns to bear on the ship. A second salvo
Once the crew was on board, he turned Admiral
Scheer’s guns on Mopan. However, the freighter, fell short, but the ship’s quartermaster, Sam
hen Jervis Bay sank, convoy HX 84 was at the too, was also in no hurry – Sapsworth was even Patience, later described how the shrapnel from
mercy of Admiral Scheer, who turned her guns called to the Captain, who complained about an exploding shell decapitated the man standing
on the tanker San Demetrio, setting her on the length of time it was taking Mopan to sink. next to him at the forward guns.
fire. The cargo ship SS Beaverford was quickly Eventually, the rate of fire was increased and By the third salvo, Scheer’s gunners had found
W overhauled and, knowing his ship and crew Mopan disappeared beneath the waves. their range and caught Jervis Bay amidships,
were also doomed, Captain Hugh Pettigrew took the fight
to the Germans. Although only armed with two four-inch Heavy casualties UNDAUNTED, CAPTAIN FEGEN
anti-submarine guns, the ship engaged the mighty warship, It was 3.45 in the afternoon when the ships in
keeping her busy for several hours until Beaverford was HX 84 spotted a dark smudge on the horizon ORDERED FULL SPEED AHEAD
hit, killing Pettigrew and all 76 of his crewmen. None – the smoking remains of Mopan. By now,
have ever been officially recognised for their sacrifice. the sun had set and darkness was just an AND STEERED STRAIGHT
hour away, but there was another dark spot,
about 15 miles away but growing larger. It was TOWARDS THE ENEMY
undoubtedly a warship and many aboard Jervis
headed for an area of ocean, 100 miles square, Bay believed it to be British; after all, there were
where the convoy was thought to be. far more Royal Navy ships operating in these smashing the wireless office and much of
The ship was fitted with a pair of small Arado waters. But Captain Fegen sensed trouble. the deck superstructure. With no real armour
Ar 196 seaplanes, which had, miraculously, Jervis Bay repeatedly signalled the challenge to speak of, Jervis Bay exploded into red-hot
survived the Arctic storm. The planes were sent “A”, using its 36-inch searchlight. Hoping to splinters, and casualties were both heavy
up daily to look for targets and, on 5 November, disguise his identity for as long as possible, and horrific. Undaunted, Fegen ordered full
half an hour into his second flight, pilot Krancke had Admiral Scheer reply with the speed ahead and steered straight towards the
Lieutenant Pietsch spotted the telltale array same signal, as if it were calling Jervis Bay. enemy, in the hope of bringing the battleship
of freighters between the broken clouds. By The British cruiser then sent the signals “M”, within range of Jervis Bay’s seven six-inch
the time the planes had returned and been “A” and “G” in quick succession. Admiral guns. The crew fired continually but the old
winched back on board, it was afternoon. Scheer quickly responded in kind, but the guns, dating from 1898, were outmoded and
Krancke had a decision to make: the convoy bluff had failed. At this point, Captain Fegen the shells repeatedly fell short of their target.
lay about three hours away, and it would be put out the order, “Sound action stations!” The only damage to Admiral Scheer was self-
dusk by the time he engaged it, giving the and red flares were sent up, the order for the inflicted, when the recoil from her huge guns
ships the chance to escape under the cover of convoy to scatter. At the same time, Jervis damaged her radar.
darkness. But if he waited until morning, they Bay and most of the merchant vessels began The next salvo hit the bridge, setting it on
would be so much nearer the safety of the laying down a smoke screen, using smoke fire and putting the ship’s fire control, range-
British ships en route to meet them, and the floats, which were thrown over the side. finder, steering gear and wireless out of action.

Captain Edward Fegen timeline

1926 1927 1929 1932-34

JULY NOVEMBER DECEMBER JUNE UNSPECIFIED THROUGHOUT
Edward gains command He embarks on a Senior He begins a tour of While at the college, Edward is appointed to He spends the next
of HMS Forres, a Hunt- Officer’s Technical Course duty as Executive Officer he is promoted to the HMS Suffolk in the China three years serving
class minesweeper. at Portsmouth. at the Royal Australian rank of Commander. Seas. Shortly after, he is on HMS Osprey.
Navy College at Captain’s awarded a Dutch lifesaving
Point, Jervis Bay, medal for rescuing the
New South Wales. crew of the grounded
merchant ship Hedwig.

50 HISTORY WAR
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